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Final Report: Kind + Jugend confirms its position as the world's leading trade fair for the sector

Around 18,000 trade visitors came to the world's largest trade fair for the children's outfitting sector

Best results ever for Kind + Jugend

A foreign share of nearly 80 per cent

The ideal platform for new products

With its excellent results, Kind + Jugend confirmed its position as the leading international trade fair for the children's outfitting sector. Compared to the previous year, the number of trade visitors increased by more than seven per cent. This means around 18,000 trade visitors from 95 countries (2008: 16,757) came to Kind + Jugend to gain an extensive overview of the market, thus creating a very positive atmosphere at the stands of the 781 exhibiting companies. With 78 per cent of the participants coming from abroad - including all the renowned international big players - the trade fair once again generated positive momentum for the sector. "International audience, participation of important decision-makers, good order-placing activity" - these were the general impressions of many exhibitors. Oliver P. Kuhrt, Executive Vice President of Koelnmesse GmbH, was very satisfied with the fair: "It was a great success - especially in the economically difficult times that we are currently experiencing. With its outstanding internationality and record number of visitors, Kind + Jugend is underlining its position as the leading international trade fair for the sector. Innovations for the ‘smallest consumers' make their way from Cologne to the rest of the world." The product range of Kind + Jugend focuses on prams and buggies, child safety seats, children's furniture, textile outfitting, hygiene articles, electrical appliances, toys and games, babies' and children's fashions and maternity wear.

Kind + Jugend's undisputed position as the world's leading fair for the children's outfitting sector was confirmed by the large visitor turnout. In 2009, the trade fair, which has been growing since 2004, attracted around 18,000 visitors to Cologne with its extensive product range. Nearly 75 per cent of these visitors came from outside of Germany. There were significant increases in the number of visitors from Eastern and Southern Europe, the United States and Asia.

"The visitors' numbers and their decision-making authority were exceptionally good, enabling us to finalise many orders," said Thomas Koch, authorised Managing Director of Sterntaler GmbH, about the company's positive experience at the trade fair. "The turnout at our stand was excellent, as was the quality of the visitors," said Jonathan Brougham, Marketing Manager at Mayborn Baby & Child, a trading style of Jackel International Limited, and added that his company will be returning to Cologne for Kind + Jugend 2010. These statements are confirmed by the initial results of the visitor survey. Three quarters of those surveyed have sole or shared responsibility for making purchasing and procurement decisions at their companies. Alongside the sector heavyweights such as TOYS"R"US, Carrefour, Spiel & Spaß GmbH, Nestlé AG, Prémaman, France Maternité, bébé 9, Prénatal, Jako-O, ROFU Kinderland and BabyOne, interested trade visitors from renowned large companies such as Schlecker Home Shopping, C&A Buying, Wehmeyer GmbH, Otto Versandhaus, Galeria Kaufhof, Versandhaus Walz, Cora Non Alimentiere and Migros, as well as representatives of various international trade associations, were also in Cologne - a further proof of the importance of Kind + Jugend as an international trade platform for children's outfitting.

The large number of visitors resulted in an excellent atmosphere and crowded stands among the exhibitors. "Despite the unfavourable economic climate, Kind + Jugend presented itself as the platform for the sector. In addition to our established customers we also gained new customers and are highly satisfied with our trade fair results," said Pieters van Mulders, Sales and Marketing Manager at Thermobaby S.A. Many companies emphasised not only the success of their business transactions but also the trade fair's importance as an international marketing platform. "The large visitor turnout once again confirmed that Cologne offers the optimal conditions for a successful product launch," said Andreas Hess, Head of Design, Product Development and Marketing at Concord GmbH. "Kind + Jugend is and will remain the most important trade fair for the sector," said Hess, who was especially pleased with the excellent results the company's export business experienced at the fair. "Kind + Jugend provided us with the ideal platform to launch our new line of baby phones on the market and present them to new customer groups," said Jörg Wolters, Marketing Director at VTech Electronics Europe GmbH.

The visitors were impressed by the products on offer at Kind + Jugend. A good 78 per cent of the buyers assessed the range of products on offer as good or very good and nearly 83 per cent of the visitors stated that they had achieved their trade fair objectives. Of the visitors surveyed, 75 per cent are already planning to visit Kind + Jugend 2010. This very positive response to the event resulted in over 95 per cent of the surveyed visitors saying they would recommend a visit to the trade fair to a close business associate.

Presentation of the Kind + Jugend Innovation Award - the trade fair's quality seal
The Kind + Jugend Innovation Award celebrated its fifth anniversary on the first day of the fair. The coveted award is considered a recognised seal of approval within the sector. This year some 180 companies had once again applied to participate in the competition, which celebrates the innovative power of the sector and offers a special boost for both new ideas and the continued development of high-quality products. The prize-giving ceremony for the award, which took place as part of the official trade fair opening ceremony on Thursday, 17th September, in the presence of numerous exhibitors, trade visitors and representatives of the media was a real highlight of Kind + Jugend.

The winners of the "Kind + Jugend Innovation Award 2009" are:

- World of Moving Baby - Prams and travel systems Kobi (MIMA) family pram

- World of Travelling Baby - Children's car seats Maxi-Cosi Car Seat Family (Dorel Netherlands) three-part "family" car seat

- World of Moving Baby & Travelling Baby Accessories - Accessories for prams, travel systems and children's car seats Lolaloo (Lolaloo GmbH) rocking device for prams

- World of Baby Safety at Home - Safety-relevant products for babies and toddlers at home SlamJam (BDI Inventions Ltd / Askopa) doorstopper

- World of Baby Toys - Toys for babies and toddlers Kiditec (Techno Bloxx AG) scooter

- World of Baby Textiles - Home textiles, baby and toddler clothing etc. Wetpets (WetPets GbR) bathing accessory

- World of Baby Care - Hygiene products and electrical appliances
Babybath with removable bath ring (TIGEX) bathtub

- World of Baby Furniture - Children's furniture and accessories
alma urban cot/crib by bloom (Bloom baby) children's bed

Kind + Jugend in figures:
A total of 781 companies from 41 countries, 78 per cent of which came from abroad, participated in Kind + Jugend 2009. The participants included 169 exhibitors and two additionally represented companies from Germany, as well as 610 exhibitors and two additionally represented companies from abroad. Including estimates for the last day of the fair, Kind + Jugend 2009 attracted around 18,000 trade visitors from 95 countries, approximately 75 per cent of whom came from abroad.*

* All figures have been calculated in accordance with the
guidelines of the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics (FKM) and are subject to audit by a certified auditor (http://www.fkm.de/).

Kind + Jugend 2010
16th to 19th September 2010

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